Health regulation

Health Professions Act and College self-governance

Alberta’s regulated health professionals are regulated by one piece of legislation—the Health Professions Act (HPA). This legislation gives College's their regulatory authority. It's the legal framework or ‘rules’ by which the colleges govern and regulate their respective health professions. And is the rules by which Alberta's health professionals can legally provide health care services in Alberta.   

HPA was implemented by the government to consolidate Alberta’s many health professions under one common piece of legislation rather than multiple health profession specific Acts. HPA legislation also increases public input and representation on our College Councils and in our complaint investigation and member discipline process.

Most of AFRHP’s members are regulated by HPA. The three not yet under HPA, Physical Therapists, Physicians and Paramedics, are expected to be next year and are currently governed by other provincial legislation specific to their respective health profession.

HPA legislation can be viewed (or obtained from) the Alberta Queen’s Printer.

Self-regulation—how the Colleges are run

Colleges are governed by a board of directors called a council. Each council consists of members of the profession (elected by their peers) and one or more government-appointed public members (public members are also involved in College complaints and discipline processes). Public members provide valuable public input, oversight and representation into College policy and decision making processes.

Council’s role is to regulate the profession and oversee the College’s management, actions and policy development within the framework of HPA. This style/system of governance is called self-regulation. So, while government establishes the healthcare ‘rules,’ the various health professions (via their Colleges and councils) implement and enforce those rules for their respective profession.

Self-regulation is a privilege, not a right, granted by government on behalf of the public. Self-regulation is commonly used in technically specialized and complex areas, like healthcare, because the professions, not the government, has the specific knowledge and expertise needed to set education, competence, license, and practice requirements/standards.